U.S. patent application number 10/521506 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-27 for installation for coating objects.
Invention is credited to Martin Doll, Gernot Herwig.
Application Number | 20060162648 10/521506 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30009920 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060162648 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Herwig; Gernot ; et
al. |
July 27, 2006 |
Installation for coating objects
Abstract
The invention relates to an installation for coating objects,
said installation having, in a manner known per se, a coating
chamber which is arranged upstream from a drying chamber. The
objects to be coated are carried by skids which are guided through
the coating chamber and the drying chamber by means of a skid
transport system. Each skid comprises two skid runners, extending
parallel to the direction of displacement, and is embodied in such
a way that adjacent skids can travel inside each other such that
they partially overlap in the direction of displacement. In this
way, the objects carried by successive skids can be separated from
each other in the coating chamber such that all of the surfaces of
the objects to be coated can be easily reached by the application
devices.
Inventors: |
Herwig; Gernot;
(Holzgerlingen, DE) ; Doll; Martin; (Schonbuch,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Andrew R Basile;Young & Basile
3001 West Big Beaver Road
Suite 624
Troy
MI
48084
US
|
Family ID: |
30009920 |
Appl. No.: |
10/521506 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
June 18, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/06403 |
371 Date: |
March 28, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
118/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B 13/0221 20130101;
B05B 13/0452 20130101; B62D 65/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
118/300 |
International
Class: |
B05C 5/00 20060101
B05C005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 12, 2002 |
DE |
102315043 |
Claims
1. Installation for coating objects, in particular vehicle bodies
and parts thereof, comprising a) a coating booth, in which at least
one application device is arranged; b) a drying booth downstream of
the coating booth; c) a plurality of skids having two skid runners
which run parallel to the movement direction and each carrying at
least one object to be coated; d) a skid-conveying system, on which
the skid runners of the skids rest and which guides the skids
through the coating booth and the drying booth, characterised in
that e) adjacent skids (2) are movable into one another such that
they partially overlap in the movement direction.
2. Installation according to claim 1, characterised in that the
skids (2) have a supporting structure (11) comprising: a) a
supporting frame (12, 12'), of which the sides running parallel to
the movement direction are formed by the two skid runners (13, 14),
the first skid runner (13) projecting forwards beyond the
supporting frame (12) in the movement direction, while the second
skid runner (14) projects rearwards beyond the supporting frame
(12) counter to the movement direction; b) a front support, which
is connected to the supporting frame (12) and projects forwards
beyond the supporting frame (12) parallel to the first skid runner
(13), but is at a distance from the first skid runner (13) which is
less than the distance between the two skid runners (13, 14); c) a
rear support (16), which is connected to the supporting frame (12)
and projects rearwards beyond the supporting frame (12) parallel to
the second skid runner (14), but is at a distance from the second
skid runner (14) which is less than the distance between the two
skid runners (13, 14).
3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that
each skid (2) has stops (17, 18, 19', 20') which define the extent
to which adjacent skids (2) are movable into another.
4. Installation according to claim 3, characterised in that each
skid (2) has first stops (17, 18, 19', 20'), which define the
extent to which adjacent skids (2) carrying identical objects (5,
6, 7, 8) are movable into one another, and second stops (13 to 16,
13' to 16'), which define the extent to which adjacent skids (2,
2') carrying different objects (5, 6, 7, 8) are movable into one
another.
5. Installation according to claim 4, characterised in that the
second stops are formed by the skid runners (13, 14, 13', 14')
and/or the supports (15, 16, 15', 16').
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to an installation for coating
objects, in particular vehicle bodies and parts thereof,
comprising
[0002] a) a coating booth, in which at least one application device
is arranged;
[0003] b) a drying booth downstream of the coating booth;
[0004] c) a plurality of skids having two skid runners which run
parallel to the movement direction and each carrying at least one
object to be coated;
[0005] d) a skid-conveying system, on which the skid runners of the
skids rest and which guides the skids through the coating booth and
the drying booth.
[0006] When operating such an installation, it is necessary to
position the objects to be coated on the skids in such a way that
the application devices can reach all the surfaces to be coated.
This is often successfully achieved only by the successive skids
being at a relatively large distance from one another and/or the
objects being movably arranged on the skids. Large distances are
associated with a large installation length, however; the movement
of objects to be coated requires suitable apparatus or manual
labour. Both lead to correspondingly high costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The object of the present invention is to design an
installation of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that
the installation length and the costs associated therewith are
minimised.
[0008] This object is achieved according to the invention in
that
[0009] e) adjacent skids are movable into one another such that
they partially overlap in the movement direction.
[0010] While conventional skids can only come so close to one
another that their skid runners butt against one another, a skid
according to the invention is designed in such a way that it can
partially move into an adjacent skid lying in front of it or behind
it in the movement direction. Only in the coating booth are the
skids moved so far apart from one another, i.e. is such a large
distance created between them, that all the surfaces of the objects
carried by the skids can be reached by the application device
without these objects needing to be moved to do so. As soon as the
respective skid leaves the coating booth, however, its distance
from the skid in front is increasingly reduced until finally its
leading region "plunges" into the trailing region of the skid
travelling in front of it in the movement direction. This produces
a succession of skids, the total length of which is less than the
sum of the runner lengths of the skids present in the entire
assembly. The extent to which the adjacent skids move into one
another is chosen such that the objects which are carried by the
skids and are to be coated do not come into mutual contact. In this
context, it is also possible to choose arrangements where the
objects carried by the skids are arranged laterally beside one
another (in relation to the movement direction) when adjacent skids
are in the position where they have moved into one another.
[0011] Because of the small total length occupied by the assembly
of skids when they are in the state where they have moved into one
another, the installation components, in particular the drying
booth, upstream and downstream of the coating booth can be kept
very short. This has a direct effect on the costs of the
installation.
[0012] Of course, the feature of the skids of being movable into
one another in the above-mentioned sense requires a special
construction: this may, for example, be realised in that the skids
have a supporting structure comprising:
[0013] a) a supporting frame, of which the sides running parallel
to the movement direction are formed by the two skid runners, the
first skid runner projecting forwards beyond the supporting frame
in the movement direction, while the second skid runner projects
rearwards beyond the supporting frame counter to the movement
direction;
[0014] b) a front support, which is connected to the supporting
frame and projects forwards beyond the supporting frame parallel to
the first skid runner, but is at a distance from the first skid
runner which is less than the distance between the two skid
runners;
[0015] c) a rear support, which is connected to the supporting
frame and projects rearwards beyond the supporting frame parallel
to the second skid runner, but is at a distance from the second
skid runner which is less than the distance between the two skid
runners.
[0016] In this embodiment of the installation according to the
invention, each skid therefore has in the front and rear region a
kind of carrying fork, one "prong" of which is formed by a skid
runner and the other "prong" of which is formed by a support
running parallel thereto. The carrying forks can move into one
another because of the fact that the distance between their
"prongs" is less than the distance between the skid runners. The
skid runners of a skid in this design are offset from one another
in the movement direction. Each side of a skid, considered on its
own, is therefore supported over only part of the skid length by
the skid runner; considered as a whole, however, the skid rests
throughout its entire length at least on one skid runner.
[0017] Each skid should have stops which define the extent to which
adjacent skids are movable into another. This extent depends on the
objects which are carried by the skids and which, as stated above,
must under no circumstances come into mutual contact.
[0018] The circumstances are often such that "mixed operation" of
the installation takes place. This means that successive skids
carry different objects to be coated. In this case, that embodiment
of the invention is advantageous in which each skid has first
stops, which define the extent to which adjacent skids carrying
identical objects are movable into one another, and second stops,
which define the extent to which adjacent skids carrying different
objects are movable into one another. The greatest possible extent
of the movement into one another between skids adjacent in the
movement direction thus always occurs outside the coating booth,
and this results in the shortest possible total length of the skid
assembly.
[0019] The second type of stops can be formed by the skid runners
and/or the supports.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in
more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic plan view, two skids according
to the invention, carrying different objects, inside a coating
booth;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows the two skids of FIG. 1 when pushed into one
another, outside the coating booth;
[0023] FIG. 3 shows two skids, both carrying the same, first kind
of objects, when pushed into one another;
[0024] FIG. 4 shows two skids, carrying objects of the first and
another, second kind, likewise when pushed into one another;
[0025] FIG. 5 shows two skids, both carrying the same, second kind
of objects, when pushed into one another;
[0026] FIG. 6 shows, in a schematic plan view, a drier in which a
plurality of skids carrying different objects are illustrated when
pushed into one another.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] Reference is made first of all to FIG. 1. This figure
illustrates, in a highly schematic plan view, a painting booth 1
with the booth roof removed. Inside the painting booth 1 two skids
2, 2' can be seen, the construction of which is explained in more
detail below. The two skids 2, 2' are conveyed through the painting
booth 1 in the direction of the arrow 3 at a distance D from one
another with the aid of a skid-conveying system (not illustrated).
For this purpose, the painting booth 1 is of course provided with
suitable doors (not illustrated) at its narrow sides.
[0028] The skid 2 travelling in front in the direction of the arrow
3 carries parts of a vehicle body, namely the roof 5 or a part of
the roof, the front gate 6 and the rear gate 7. The doors 8 of the
vehicle body are taken off and conveyed separately from the parts
5, 6, 7 on the skid 2' following the skid 2 in the movement
direction (arrow 3).
[0029] As they pass through the painting booth 1, the parts 5, 6, 7
and the separately conveyed doors 8 are coated by two application
devices 9, 10 arranged on opposite sides of the painting booth
1.
[0030] Both skids 2, 2' have the same supporting structure 11, 11',
on which different, specific holding devices (not illustrated in
the drawing) are provided in accordance with the objects carried by
the skids. The supporting structure 11 of the skid 2 is described
below; what is stated applies analogously to the supporting
structure 11' of the skid 2':
[0031] The supporting structure 11 has a central, rectangular frame
12, the side of which on the left in the movement direction (arrow
3) is formed by a skid runner 13. The skid runner 13 projects
beyond the frame 12 in the movement direction by approximately the
length of the frame 12. It rests at the bottom on the corresponding
conveying elements of the skid-conveying system.
[0032] Correspondingly, the side of the frame 12 on the right in
the movement direction is formed by a second skid runner 14, which
projects rearwards from the frame 12 counter to the movement
direction (arrow 3) again by approximately the length of the frame
12.
[0033] Parallel to the forward-projecting skid runner 13, a
sectional support 15 is joined to the front transverse side of the
frame 12, but the distance between the skid runner 13 and the
sectional support 15 is less than the distance between the skid
runners 13, 14. Correspondingly, a second sectional support 16,
extending parallel to the skid runner 14 (and hence also parallel
to the skid runner 13) is joined to the rear transverse side of the
frame 12, but again is at a distance from the skid runner 14 which
is less than the distance between the two skid runners 13, 14.
[0034] In the construction described, the two skid runners 13, 14
are offset from one another in the movement direction of the skid 2
by one third of the total length of the skid 2. The skid 2 is
therefore supported on each side, taken individually, over only two
thirds of its length; nevertheless, by offsetting the two skid
runners 13, 14 from one another, the skid 2 is supported over its
entire length on the underlying skid-conveying system.
[0035] Inside the painting booth 1, the skids 2, 2', as illustrated
there, are at a distance D from one another, so that the
application devices 9, 10 can easily reach all the surfaces to be
painted, without certain objects having to be moved with the aid of
robots or manually. If the skids 2, 2' could only be moved together
to a distance of "zero" as is customary with the known designs,
this would greatly increase the cost of the installation because of
its greater length. For this reason, the skids 2, 2' are movable
into one another to a certain extent, outside the painting booth 1,
as is illustrated in FIG. 2 and explained in detail below.
[0036] To fix the extent to which the skids 2, 2' can be moved into
one another, the skids 2, 2' each have respective stops 17, 18 and
19', 20' on the respective components 13, 16 and 14', 15'
projecting beyond the central frame 12, 12'.
[0037] The skid 2 carrying the parts 5, 6, 7 has an
inward-projecting stop 18 at the outermost, leading end of the skid
runner 13 and an outward-projecting stop 17 at the outermost,
trailing end of the sectional support 16. The skid 2' carrying the
doors 8 has an upward-projecting stop 20' between the ends of the
sectional support 15' leading in the movement direction and an
inward-projecting stop 19' at a distance from the trailing end of
the skid runner 12'.
[0038] The way in which these stops 17, 18, 19', 20' limit the
pushing into one another of successive skids 2, 2' becomes clear
from FIGS. 3 to 5.
[0039] Reference is made first of all to FIG. 4, which relates to
the case described so far with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, where
skids 2, 2' follow one another and of which the ones (2) each carry
the parts 5, 6, 7, while the others (2') carry the associated doors
8. These skids 2, 2' can be pushed into one another, as illustrated
in FIGS. 2 and 4, until the ends of the front and rear carrying
forks of adjacent skids 2, 2' butt against a transverse side of the
frame 12, 12' of the adjacent skid 2, 2'. This is the furthest
extent to which the skids 2, 2' can be moved into one another. To
prevent the objects 5, 6, 7, 8 carried by the skids 2, 2' from
coming into contact with one another, the doors 8 on the skids 2'
are moved laterally outwards to such an extent that they can each
laterally overlap the rear gate 7 and the front gate 6,
respectively, on adjacent skids 2.
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates a situation in which solely skids 2'
carrying doors 8 follow one another. Here, the stops 19' and 20' of
successive skids 2' come into action. As FIG. 3 shows, the
successive skids 2' thus cannot come as close as the skids 2, 2' in
FIG. 4. This prevents the doors 8 arranged on the skids 2' from
coming into contact with one another.
[0041] FIG. 5, finally, shows the situation in which solely skids 2
carrying the parts 5, 6, 7 are present. In this case, the
respective end stops 17, 18 of the skids 2 come into action and
prevent the carrying forks 13, 14, 15, 16 projecting beyond the
respective frames 12 of the skids 2 from being able to plunge into
one another, so that the successive parts 5, 6, 7 again do not butt
against one another, but nevertheless the smallest possible
distance between successive skids 2 is achieved.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows schematically, in a way similar to FIG. 1, the
situation in a drying booth bearing the reference symbol 21. The
roof of the drying booth 21 has again been removed; this makes it
possible to see that three skids 2' carrying doors 8 and three
skids 2 each carrying a part 5, 6, 7 are situated inside the drying
booth 21. These skids 2, 2' are again moved through the drying
booth 21 in the direction of the arrow 22 with the aid of a
skid-conveying system (not illustrated), the drying booth for this
purpose being provided with doors (not illustrated) at its narrow
sides. The skids 2, 2' are pushed as far as possible into one
another inside the drying booth 21, in accordance with the
illustration in FIGS. 2 and 4, so that the length of the drying
booth 21 in the movement direction is as small as possible.
[0043] The distance between successive skids 2, 2' is increased by
transferring them to a higher-speed section of the skid-conveying
system, while the distance is reduced by transferring them to a
lower-speed section.
* * * * *